Turkish Archeologist Acquitted Of Insulting Islam

The Associated Press reports that in Turkey yesterday, a trial court ruled that a 92-year old archeologist was not guilty of insulting people based on their religion. Muazzez Ilmiye Cig, an expert on the ancient Sumerian civilization, had written a book arguing that Islamic-style head scarves date back over 5,000 years and were worn by priestesses who initiated young men into sex. The charges against her were initiated by an Islamic-oriented lawyer who was offended by her book. In her trial that lasted less than one hour, a prosecutor urged that the charges against Cig be dropped, saying that her actions had not endangered public safety in any way. The court ruled that Cig's actions did not constitute a crime, and acquitted her publisher as well.